


Not the Same Person I Remember (aka 'Lover's Quarrel')

by VividDayDreamer



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebellion Era - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bleeding, Crushes, Don’t copy to another site, Kanan cringes at the idea, Mandalorian youths, Mandalorians in general, Mando'a thrown around a bit, Multi, Nonbinary Character, Not Canon Compliant, Rau recognizes it first, Sabine's into tough love, Violence, implied sex, non-gender specified original character, not what I typically write, parental Ahsoka, parental Hera
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-07
Updated: 2018-12-15
Packaged: 2019-09-13 18:45:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 11,994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16897956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VividDayDreamer/pseuds/VividDayDreamer
Summary: Sabine encounters someone from her past, someone she eventually develops strong and passionate feelings for, and acts on them, Mandalorian style.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Friday!
> 
> Took a break from my other series and this idea came across. It's not typically what I write, but it was kind of fun to do something different. 
> 
> I also took the liberty of writing Sabine's love interest as non-binary. A bit harder to do since I hadn't done that before, but tossed in that aspect to add a little more fun to the story.
> 
> (Started writing as a quick story, not realizing that it quickly turned into multiple chapters. I'll post as I go along.)
> 
> Rating is mature and contains violence, but decided to best state the worse warnings, just in case.
> 
> Enjoy! 
> 
> (Also, lemme know what you think. I'm interested to see how this goes.)

"Hey S'bine," said the all too familiar voice.

Sabine was lost in thought about _their_ arrival at Chopper base. She hadn't seen them since the Academy days on Mandalore, and she had never thought about them until now. With a slight tap on her shoulder, she was startled.

"Hey, you ok?" asked the voice.

"Oh, force. You startled me. No, I'm okay. I was just thinking about something."

She stared into their eyes, those same, soft, caring eyes that she remembered from back then. Sure, they've grown up. Taller, for sure. Taller than her, by a several centimeters. How that happened, Sabine wasn't sure. She was sure they'd reached their growth cap back then, but it appears she was wrong. They stood with much more confidence too, as it would seem that they've seen their fair share of fights and battles, and had won. She wasn't sure if it was just the posture, but they also looked much stronger. If it weren't for those damn eyes, she'd almost sworn it wasn't the same person she knew back then.

"Heh, you were always thinking of something," they said, with a remembering smile.

"Yea?" she said, still captivated by their face. She hadn't remembered how their complexion just seemed so...

"Yea, every time I tried to talk to you, you were always busy. You were either tinkering with the next invention that you were working on, or figuring out what the next thing would be. Or at least that's what you used to tell me."

Their eyes quickly glanced away and started to rub the back of their head. Sabine swore she saw a tinge of pink surface on their cheeks....

"Ah, there they are," she thought to herself. 

It was that same innocence and shyness that she knew them to have. With their arrival at base, she hadn't seen it. Instead, what she had seen, was a confident, strong, Mandalorian that probably could have commanded an army, judged mainly through the way they carried themself.

Sabine hadn't responded to their comment. She was lost in thought again.

"Okay, well, it seems like I'm disturbing you. I'll just get back to work. Hera needed me to give her some schematics regarding that new Imperical ship that I ran into." 

They shrugged as they looked onto her. That distant look was almost too familiar, and it saddened them a bit, reminding them of their cadet days. All of a sudden they were transported back. A younger teen, infatuated with the most skilled, brilliant and beautiful girl they'd ever seen, and she was so disinterested, that it seemed that she didn't even want to give them the time of day.

"Right, um, well, it was good to see you again. I honestly thought I never would, because of what happened back home with your family and the Empire...," they sighed a bit, clearly remembering the day that she had up and left without saying goodbye. They guessed that they didn't really matter much in her eyes after all. 

Lost in that memory, they jolted themself back to reality. That was years ago. They've grown, they've changed. Whatever happened, didn't matter.

"Force, I still have the habit of bringing back old stories. Hahah," they laughed nervously, taking a breath, then calming down instantly, returning to that mature demeanor that they've been known to have. Sabine noticed. She was amazed that this really is the same person.

"See ya, S'bine," they said, as if nothing happened. They turned around, waving their hand up in the air.

Sabine watched them leave, realizing that she hadn't said a word.

"Sorry!" she yelled after them. "I'll see you later...," she mumbled under her breath, realizing that they were too far for them to hear her anyway.

"What is wrong with me?" she thought to herself.

She turned around, her hands picking up where she had left off; tinkering with a partially disassembled Imperical rifle, hoping to add some modifications. However, she found herself horribly distracted. She kept thinking about them. It was true, what they said, about every time they tried talking to her during their Academy days, but she was always involved in something that stole her attention. She was highly motivated then, and focused on proving herself to their instructors and making a good impression. She was also determined to make her mother proud. She too realized that once she had escaped the planet, that there was no going back. She had left everyone she had known, including them.

Now, she realized, was a way to rekindle that friendship...


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mando'a thrown around in some of these chapters. I'll be nice and put up the translations in the notes below the chapter :)

She saw them by the mess hall, talking and laughing amicably with who she assumed was their crew. She was looking at their back, but she knew it was them. That voice is still so familiar, even after all these years. She smiled thinking about it as she approached. They were leaning up closely around this thin, tall boy, who wore a pair of dark cargo pants that she thought was navy perhaps, and a light grey bomber type jacket. She also noticed that _they_ kept nudging the boy and leaning over, resting shoulder to shoulder. On the other side of them was a blond female, who was also fairly thin, and was wearing a set of skinny, camel-colored pair of pants -- maybe they were leggings, she didn't know. She wore a brown leather jacket that complimented her attire and skin tone. She laughed, occasionally clapping her hands together with amusement. _They_ had their arm around her.

Sabine slowed down her pace as she approached them. She watched as they all seemed to be enjoying themselves. 

"They all must be close," she wondered, feeling a bit jealous, although she didn't realize it at the time, for being the reason for the tenseness she felt in the pit of her stomach.

She remembered when she used to have friends the same age, all having a good time together, but that was long ago. Way before the Academy even. She was almost a meter away, when she saw the boy put his arm around them and shook them vigorously while laughing, they were clearly teasing them about something. As they laughed, the girl swayed in the same direction, a reaction of being pulled by their arm. She leaned her head on their shoulder. Were they that close with them? Were they dating? The boy? The girl? She didn't know, and tried not to think too much about it.

She shook the thought away easily, as she passed right behind them, slapping them hard on the back, "Pas Vod," she said nonchalantly.

Quickly gaining their attention, they shifted to turn around, detaching themselves from both the boy and girl, and was startled to see Sabine.

"Pas...," they started saying strongly, but tapered off as she had already distanced herself from them.

Debating whether or not to pursue, they thought best to leave it alone. She seemed like she had some place to be, as usual.

* * *

A few days had passed and Sabine was wondering about aimlessly, stretching her legs to enjoy the sun. She'd been busy in the Ghost, helping Hera with repairs on the ship's engines, which had suffered some damage, no doubt due to their encounter with a bunch of pirates who claimed they were trespassing their area of space. Hera paid them no mind. She disliked it when not only was the Empire preventing them from their normal travel routes, but pirates as well? No, she wouldn't have it. She navigated through their "supposed" barricade, dodging their torpedoes and laser fire alike, and zipped on through. They even managed to take out two of their ships before leaving. However, it wasn't all glamorous. Between the engine taking a good hit and the amount of carbon scoring on the Ghost, the crew's been a bit busy most of the day taking care of it.

The fresh air was good, well, as good as it could be in the dusty, dry plantains. She walked across the base, eventually spotting them, speaking to one of the generals about force knows what. She really couldn't believe it was the same person. They stood there, standing as if they outranked the others around them. She couldn't quite make out what they were saying, but she could hear their stern and unwavering voice. 

She decided to walk by to say hi, as she saw the general and the other commanders nod their heads to them and shake arms, taking their leave. _They_ were still new to the base, only being recruited about a week ago, and already they've proven useful to Command, or so she's heard from Ahsoka.

They had their back turned to her as they were looking back at one of the large holo screens.

"Pas vod," she said again, slapping them harshly on the back.

Startled, they looked back and smiled. "Pas vod."

"Looked like you guys were having a pretty intense conversation," she noted, thumbing back in the direction of the higher ranking officials.

"Yea, they were in hot debate over this sector here," they said as they pointed to the holo screen, which displayed a map that zeroed in on a part of the outer rim.

"They wanted to send a fleet out there to respond to some vague message they received from one of their contacts. The man was cut off before we fully found out what they had discovered," they continued. "Supposedly, that contact is related to one of the commanders," they said tilting their head in the direction that Sabine had pointed to prior.

Their facial expression suddenly changed to one of concern and resentment, and they spoke with much more vigor and sternness than before.

"I know that sector. I know that planet. I've visited there a number of times during my previous missions. They're not the friendliest of folks out there."

They looked back at Sabine, realizing that they were rambling a bit.

"Anyway, they needed my advice for the best strategy for extraction, and hopefully rescue them. I gave them the best plan I could think of."

"Are you going with them?"

"They asked me to, but I couldn't afford to get caught in that region. I have....history there."

They tried to mask their concerns, not wanting to talk about it any further, and quickly changed subjects.

"So, what brings you here?" they asked with a smile.

They really had changed. Taking command, making decisions, being asked to be a strategist even. No, this wasn't the same person she had known back as a cadet. They were quite the opposite then, much more timid and shy. Obeyed orders well, but never gave them. They weren't a leader. But then again, it had been a very long time. They're adults now.

She jumped back into the conversation. "I saw you over here while I was out taking a walk. Thought I'd say hi," she shrugged, then smiled.

"A walk huh? Never knew you to be one for those kinds of things."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, taken aback by the assumption.

They scoffed a bit. "The Sabine Wren I knew _always_ had an agenda. I didn't think you enjoyed pleasantries like 'a walk'." 

"That right?" she asked, feeling a bit offended. "Alright then, how about we do something more familiar. Up for some sparring? Mandalorian style?" she smirked.

She remembered how they never used to be one that held their own well when it came to one-on-one combat, but then again, as she's noticed, they've changed. She wondered if that applied to their fighting style.

"Heh, now you're talking. I haven't had anyone challenge me like that in a while," they smiled.

"That's because you don't seem to be hanging around enough Mandalorians," she retorted, turning around then walking away. "Meet me by the ramp of the Ghost when you're ready."

They watched her leave and smiled a bit. She's never been that friendly to them before. They even felt that this was the most that she'd ever talked to them. They weren't sure what was up, but it was a welcoming change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Pas Vod" - "Hey, comrade"


	3. Chapter 3

Sweat ran down their faces, both were breathing hard, trying to gasp for air. They circled each other, trying to find an opening. Zeb, Kanan and Ezra sat on the ramp, watching the two Mandalorians have it out.

Sabine attempted a few punches and kicks that they had expertly blocked and countered. She was surprised. They did change. A lot. Their quick and nimble movements proved to her that they must have had excessive training and experience, but she kept her guard up and stayed on alert, studying their actions, until she found her opening.

Sabine had ducked to avoid an oncoming roundhouse kick, one she had expected to come, based on the moves they had done prior. She swept at their grounded leg with such force, that they dropped instantly, but she knew not to let her guard down just yet. They rolled away and flipped back up, prepared to strike Sabine back, but she saw it coming. She quickly blocked the oncoming punch and attacked by punching low into their gut, both done almost simultaneously. As they hunched over from the impact, she easily grabbed their head, and kneed them to the face, knocking them back to the ground with force.

They groaned and took notice of the blood that gushed out of their nose and the split lip they now had. Their mouth, tasted of blood. Sabine took her time and walked over to them.

"Geez, these Mandalorians don't play around when they spar. Can you even call it that? They look like they're downright out to kill each other," Ezra said in shock to the others.

"Heh, I kinda like it. Reminds me of the way we trained back in the Honor Guard," Zeb smirked.

Kanan just looked on, impressed to see how well both were fighting.

"Had enough?" Sabine said smugly as she lent her arm down to help them back on their feet.

They were holding their hands to their face, as they laid on the ground on their side, turned away from Sabine. They were trying to fake her out. She bought it.

"Draar, Wren!" they said gruffly, before yanking her down by the arm, causing her to lose balance, as she fell into their kick. The force of the kick and the weight of her body, made the impact to her abdomen so much harsher than it would've, had she kept on guard. They remained with their grasp on her wrist, and as she continued to fall forward, they used their legs to toss her over their head, having her land straight on her back. She winced from the unexpected attack.

They grabbed her harshly by the collar, pulled her up by such strength, then slammed her up against an adjacent rock formation. The jagged edges of stone dug hard into her back. It were times like this she wished she hadn't stripped down her armor, and excluded the use of the back plating. They pressed her up against the wall, forcing their forearm onto her throat. They stood against her, with an intended body position that not only had her leaned back so that she couldn't forcibly move forward, but also used their stance to keep her legs distanced from each other, so she couldn't use them to gain any edge. She was fully pinned to the rock.

"Bakiyetaga!" they said with a serious and harshness to their tone that she never heard before. 

She was taken aback by the whole turn of events, when she finally grunted the words of truce. 

They pulled away, relaxing to a normal state. Sabine coughed up, trying to regain oxygen to her lungs, while they wiped their bloodied face across their arm.

"Not...bad," Sabine said hoarsely. "Improved," she coughed up, still trying to catch her breath.

They smiled and amicably smacked her on her arm. "I had to step it up. I couldn't keep letting others like you beat me down," they smirked. "But looks like you've continued to improve as well," they said gently touching their own face to determine how much damage Sabine actually caused.

The both straightened up a bit, then hobbled back to the Ghost in exhaustion. The crew just watched.

"Wow, they got Sabine good. I've never been able to win against her," Ezra continued in awe.

"Hahahaha, to be fair kid, you hadn't won against any of us before either," Zeb jeered.

"Pshh. I was just going easy on you guys."

Zeb and Kanan laughed.

As they approached the ramp, Ezra jumped up in excitement. "That was so awesome! Hey, you think you can spar me one day? You gotta teach me some of those moves," he said to them.

"Heh, I guess I could try," they shrugged and smiled.

"No, really. I'd love to learn some moves to use on Sabine!"

Zeb wasn't too far away and overheard, pulling out a joke from days old. "Kid, you've said that since day one with her," he winked and laughed whole-heartedly, causing Ezra to blush then yell back at Zeb with such profanity that it even got Kanan's attention, which only earned him a tough glare.

They arched their brow and smirked a bit. "So that's your angle huh?" They said, as they looked to both Sabine and Ezra.

"What? Ew, no! He's like my brother!" Sabine argued in defense.

"Yea, exactly!" Ezra supported.

"Uh huh," they said skeptically.

"You should've seen how head over heels he was over her. He answered her every call," Zeb hollered and continued to laugh out loud. He always had a good time teasing Ezra, even if he was nearly twenty now.

"Zeb! That hasn't been for years!" Sabine yelled back, earning her a surprised look from them and Ezra.

Zeb too was surprised at how angry Sabine seemed to be at the age-old topic. She never used to mind much before. His laugh tapered off and he stopped pressing the issue.

"Hahaha, eh, whatever. You're still the same kids I knew way back then," he smirked as the swept his arm at them.

"Ugh, forget him," Ezra continued, turning back to get their attention. "So, like I was saying. Teach me and I'll teach you."

"You? Teach me?" they scoffed with a surprised look.

"Yea. I am a Jedi in training, you know," he said with bravado.

"Oh, and what would you train me in? Hate to break it to you, but I can't use the force, so that's out. Aannd I've pretty much mastered combat training," they commented.

"Sword fighting. I'm pretty good at sword fighting."

"Heh, I'm not so bad myself. I don't carry this thing around for fun," they said, pointing to the sheathed blade on their back.

"I'll prove it to you."

They raised their brow at him, as he ran up the ramp of the Ghost, and inside. They four of them looked to each other in bewilderment. 

A moment later, he emerged, running down the ramp, holding a pair of practice swords.

"Really Ezra?" Sabine asked in disbelief as she sipped on some water.

"Ezra, they just finished sparring," Kanan said exasperated. "I think they need a breather."

They looked onto Ezra, who held out one of the practice swords out at them. They smirked and grabbed the weapon.

"I've never said no to a challenge before. Won't now," they said confidently, then walked over to one of the crates to drink some water from their canteen.

"Wait, what do you mean never? That's not what I recall," Sabine said smugly.

"Ah, but you don't know the new me, do you Wren?"

They marched off along with Ezra, back to the sandy opening where they had just finished sparring. Sabine walked over to the ramp, joining up with Zeb and Kanan, who were now anxious to see this battle.

"No, I guess I don't," Sabine whispered to herself.

* * *

Sabine had just finished getting cleaned up. She stood in front of the sink in the refresher, staring at herself, but thinking about them. Again. She remembered how strong they were as they fought, and how they pinned her down unexpectedly. It made her heart race. She remembered watching Ezra, seeing them battle with their swords, and how even they eventually brought the young padawan down. It excited her. Sabine soon realized that out of everything, their show of strength, had won her over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- "Draar" - "Never"  
> \- "Bakiyetaga!" = "Surrender!"


	4. Chapter 4

They hadn't seen each other in the days following. Commander Sato had assigned them and their crew to some mission, one of which Sabine knew nothing about. She wasn't used to seeing the Ghost passed over when it came to assignments, so it intrigued her further. 

"Guess they're just that good," she remarked.

The next day, the Ghost crew was summoned into the briefing room with Commander Sato. Sabine was surprised to see them there, along with Ahsoka. They were being briefed on an infiltration mission, to gather up and confirm some intel that they'd been given by one of their spies. The data was stored in one of the Empire's strongholds. They were told that due to the importance and risk of the job, they were to team up with the Mandalorian and Ahsoka. Surprisingly, _they_ were in charge of this mission.

They acknowledged, with Ezra only commenting with excitement, "Great. The more the merrier."

The following day, they were off. 

As they approached the planet, they went over the plan one last time, going over the rough schematics of the building, and estimated the number of Imperials that they had to be wary of. The details weren't precise, but without any current information about the place from their sources, and everything coming from _their_ memory, it was the best they had, and time was running short.

"Okay, so this corridor leads to the main computer. Sabine and I will head straight there, barring any guards. Ezra, Zeb, Kanan, you guys act as the distraction, Hera stays to man our escape, and Ahsoka..."

"Will stay behind, but close-by, in case _they_ cause problems," she finished, then beamed at them with such pride.

Sabine forgot that Rex had mentioned how Ahsoka had known them, after the academy. She wasn't sure for how long, and how close they were, but it seemed that they were more than casual acquaintances.

Hera dropped them at a somewhat remote area so that she could remain undetected by the Empire's scans. To get to the location, Ezra used to force to "convince" the local beasts to assist. They rode in on these leather-backed animals, who's hide seemed as thick as armor. Their white fangs and sharp claws peered through their dark skin, and, mixed with the red glow of their eyes, made them seem almost demonic. Other than Ezra, they all were hesitant to rely on these animals. 

"These are the things of nightmares," Zeb said, shuddering at their evil looks.

"Ah, they're not so bad. It's not their fault they look like this. They're as friendly as loth-cats. It'll be fine," he said jokingly as he hopped up on one of them and rode ahead.

The Ghost crew looked at each other dumb-founded and couldn't tell if he was joking or not. 

"He does remember that they all but kept attacking him before the whole Jedi thing right?" Sabine looked over to Kanan, remembering that story quite well.

Kanan looked doubtful as well, but after all these years, when it came to understanding creatures, Ezra was usually on point.

"If this mission fails because we get attacked by demonic creatures from hell, you all have my permission to whatever you want to him. Now, come on, we don't have much time to waste," the Jedi commented before hopping onto one of the beasts.

"Heh," Zeb said a bit too loudly as he smirked.

"Within reason!" Kanan shouted as he rode away.

Eventually they carefully mounted the monstrous animals and swiftly rode on, with Ezra guiding the pack, as they neared the tall, greyish building up ahead. It stood upon a tall mountain ridge, almost looking as if it was built into the stone structure itself.

Once they reached it, they kept quiet, doing everything they could to be as inconspicuous as possible to remain undetected.

They reached a low tunnel; their point of entry.

"Alright kids, in we go," said the Jedi as he nodded to all of them. Yes, everyone present were clearly adults, but he saw them still much more youthful than himself. Old habits die hard.

* * *

Blasters firing in every direction and laser beams flew through the air, as the Ghost team tried to remain on task.

"Spectre-1 to Spectre-5, how much longer?"

"Uh, not sure, working as fast as I can."

Kanan's group was being very successful at acting as a distraction, that most of the garrison was focused in on them. Ahsoka kept on guard, far from the ruckus, closing her eyes to mediate and focus on the supposed presence of the Inquisitors. She had yet to sense them.

"Pas vod, we're close to limit, any luck?" they asked, standing by and keeping guard, with pistols at the ready.

"Almost. I finally got into the mainframe. Downloading the data now."

\--------------------

"They're here!" Ahsoka's eyes flew open and she jumped up from where she sat. She headed off the rock platform and proceeded to traverse the cliff, jumping easily from edge to edge until she made it into the towering building.

"Spectre-1, you have company," she commed to Kanan.

"I know. I felt them too. We got word from Spectre-5 that they got what we needed. We're headed towards the exit."

"Good, I'll meet you there."

\--------------------

Turning the corner, the two Mandalorians ran swiftly, dodging hallways that were blocked by groups of troopers. The Imperial chase forced them away from their intended path of exit, improvising their method of escape as they ran along, blasting through the opponents that they could.

"Hey, you ready for plan B?" Sabine asked them.

"Plan B? What plan B?" They asked confused as they continued down the currently vacant hallway.

Sabine pulled out a few grenades from her satchel and showed it to them.

"Ah, of course," they said, unsurprised.

They turned a corner, finding a swarm of troopers waiting at the end of the hall, who had expected them to head that way. Both Mandalorians swiftly turned on their heels and hid behind the adjacent wall.

"Looks as good as time as any," they said.

With that, she nodded, throwing the grenades down the hall, and it detonated, causing a large rumble, collapsing a few of the walls surrounding them, with the domino effect of shattering the floor, opening up beneath the troopers and swallowing them all.

"Okay, vod, now or never."

The two ran down the hall and jumped over the open cavern below, landing across the way and stopped promptly, as they saw the swing of bright red blades in front of them.

"Watch out!" They yelled, running at Sabine, forcing them both to slam up against a wall.

Sabine watched as they took on a protective demeanor by temporarily covering her body with their own. The strength of the person in front of her, pressed closely, caused her to blush slightly. Under her helmet, she was glad to know that they'd never see it. They eventually spun around to find their evil opponents standing there, watching as they had cornered their prey. They held up their blasters, aiming at their opponents, but they didn't shoot. Sabine on the other hand, didn't hesitate.

"No! Don't!" They yelled out, but it was too late.

The girl's blaster fire was immediately reflected back easily by one of the Inquisitors, causing the redirected fire to catch the other Mandalorian in the leg. They grunted at the sharp, burning sensation, but remained standing, furiously trying to figure a way out.

Just then, they both heard the familiar sounds of lightsabers igniting. They knew they were saved. Kanan and Ahsoka came rushing in to their aid. The two immediately engaged in battle with their opposing counterparts. Beams of red, white and blue clashed back and forth, emanating bright white flashes as they made contact with each other.

"Run you two!" Kanan yelled.

With a unified nod to each other, the Mandalorians decided not to obey. They stood idly by, watching the four force users battle it out, waiting to be of assistance. Minutes went by, and the Jedi grew anxious.

"Did you two not hear me? Get the hell out of here!" he yelled once more.

"No can do, sir!" they answered back.

In that moment, they saw an opening, and shot their blasters right at one of the Siths. The red lasers shot true, hitting the Sith directly in the back, causing him to tower down. Ahsoka finished him off, kicking him off the edge of the floor, and down into the opened cavern below. She nodded back in their direction, thanking them for their assistance. She quickly turned and threw one of her sabers in the direction of the other two that were still deep in battle. It swept through the air, expertly slashing the arm of the other Inquisitor, causing him to yell out in pain. He turned sharply at the direction of the Togruta. Kanan took the opportunity and struck his saber against his opponent, then impaled him. His body dropped to the floor.

"Okay, let's get out of here! Quick!"

With that the four headed towards the exit and straight for the Ghost.

* * *

Kanan was in the medbay of the Ghost, tending to the Mandalorian's wounded leg. Ahsoka stood by, leaned up against the doorway, when Sabine walked in.

"Everything okay?" she asked.

"Yea, they'll be fine. They're tougher than nails at times," she said proudly, but also with some reservation.

"Well, that's good, right?"

"Heh, good. Sometimes. Valiant warrior that one, but still very much headstrong and stubborn," she sighed, clearly remembering the Mandalorian's disobedience to Kanan's orders.

"Hey, I'm right here," they shouted from a short distance.

"I know. I said that with the intention of you hearing," she smiled at them.

"Yea, as much as I appreciated your help and we got LUCKY that we made it out, the next time when I say run, run," Kanan said as he spoke with a bit of a lecturing tone.

"With all due respect, Kanan. I knew what I was doing. Ahsoka can vouch for me."

The man's face contorted with annoyance, before looking over to Ahsoka with that, 'How can you deal with this?' kind of facial expression.

Ahsoka snickered, understanding his look. "You get used to it, Kanan. They're as stubborn as they come. But, they still know when a order is an order," she stared sternly at them.

Catching the gesture, they responded, "Yes, ma'am."

Kanan finished up wrapping up the Mandalorian's leg, eventually thanking them for their help.


	5. Chapter 5

Back on base, the debriefing went well. The information they had stolen had proven useful, providing them with the evidence they needed to continue planning on how to deal with the new threat.

The next day, after they had all rested, the crew was back in motion. Hera was back making repairs on the ship, Kanan and Zeb were running diagnostics, and Ezra and Chopper were handling the ship's exterior. The Mandalorian casually walked up the ramp, looking to make a visit.

"...And don't forget to pick up a spare regulator," they heard Hera shout out.

"Okay!" they heard Sabine respond.

"Pas vod," they called out.

"Pas vod," she answered before smiling.

"Heading out?"

"Yea, we need some extra parts, so I'm taking the Phantom over to the next planet to go find them."

"Want some company?" they asked casually.

"What? No fun time with your crew?" she asked, arching a brow.

They looked at her inquisitively, not quite sure what she was referring to. Sabine had somewhat still held a grudge against their crew, for one reason or another. She's seen their overly friendly behavior with the same boy and girl several times around the base, and she couldn't quite make out if she was over thinking it, or not. Regardless, at the very least, not having the same leisurely life they seemed to have, irked her a bit.

"Uh, the guys are relaxing at the moment. While we were gone, Commander Sato had asked them to handle a small job. Wore them out."

"He sent them out without you?" she asked, shocked at the explanation.

"Yea, apparently before we left, Ahsoka gave him the okay to deploy them if needed, so long as it was a minor job."

"What's between you and Ahsoka by the way?"

Confused again, they asked what she referred to.

"You guys just seem close is all."

"Oh. Haha. Well, she was the one that recruited me and my crew a few years back. She's kept us close, usually her go-to crew. She's been a great mentor through it all. I've learned a lot from her."

Sabine nodded in understanding.

"Sabine, you're still here?" Hera asked, as she walked down the corridor, wiping her hands on a rag that she had pulled out from her pocket.

"Ah, yea, sorry Hera, got caught up."

The Twi'lek looked over to the Mandalorian and nodded a hello, before turning back to Sabine.

"You'd better head out before it gets late. You know how dangerous it gets there when it gets dark."

"On my way," she started, heading up towards the Phantom. "You coming?" she said, calling out.

They nodded towards Hera then promptly went up the ladder to follow suit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the short chapter. Hope to get the next one up later tonight.


	6. Chapter 6

Sabine had picked up the parts that they needed, and went to meet up with her friend at a local clothing depot.

"Hey, you in here?" she knocked on one of the changing room doors.

It slid open, revealing the Mandalorian in a pristine, black, well-fitted body suit.

"So that's what you're in here for?" she asked in disbelief. Not that she minded the view. Without the bulk of the armor on them, the contours of their body and muscular structure definitely appealed to her.

"You know how many of these I go through? I don't have time to mend it, so I always need a few of these on hand. Just in case."

Sabine rolled her eyes and shook her head. She really can't believe that this is the same kid she knew back then. Never in her lifetime would she have guessed that they would've grown into a such a soldier, who needed that many backup suits.

"You don't believe me," they shrugged. "It's fine. But," they started as they walked closer to Sabine. "Feel this. It's amazingly soft and durable. Best I've seen in a while," they said excitedly.

Sabine reached out her hand and stroked their arm, feeling their muscular features, smoothed over by the silken feeling of the body suit. She almost felt her face gush, but tried to keep it cool. 

"Yea, I can see why it'd be a good investment," she finally responded.

"See, thought you'd understand."

They shut the door behind them and got dressed, leaving Sabine to realize that they now have her full attention.

* * *

They were on the way back to the shuttle with gear and parts in tow, when Sabine suggested that they stop by the local cantina.

"Uh, you sure? I thought Hera wanted us back early."

"Nah, she was only playing protective Hera because she thought I was going alone, and there's some rough spots out here."

"And it's not gonna be a problem now?"

"Nope, 'cause you're here with me. She's heard of your reputation too."

She gently bumped them on the shoulder and smiled. It was a little out of character, for her, they thought. They could've sworn she was almost flirting with them...

They sighed. "Okay, but let's put this stuff back in the shuttle first. I don't really want to lug it around."

"Fair enough."

As they walked to the shuttle, they thought briefly about the idea of finally having some time alone with Sabine. Maybe, this time, they could be real friends. It almost seemed unreal. They've noticed how she's been acting much friendlier towards them, much more than....well, ever really. Back then, she paid them no mind, and now, she's asking to go out to the bar with them. Their adolescent crush brought back feelings that got them excited, then all of a sudden nervous, but they pushed the idea back down, knowing that that was all it was, past feelings.

They weren't really that interested in her the way they used to. In fact, they never really did have time to fall for anyone again, being that they led such a demanding lifestyle. They were honestly just enjoying the idea of reconnecting with her. It was something familiar. Something that reminded them of home. However, all that hadn't stopped their mind from still wondering about her possible relationships.

"I'm sure she's seeing someone else by now," they thought. "Ezra maybe? He's a jetti. They're pretty strong fighters. Even the way they resented the idea of being together seemed...a little too forced."

"Or, maybe that guy...Wedge I think they called him. She seems to hang out with him quite a bit. " They recalled several friendly interactions with the two. "Yea, pretty friendly," their brows furrowed a bit at the thought, but Sabine didn't see.

"Maybe even Ketsu," they thought once more. "They were always friends since the Academy..."

They thought and thought about it, but didn't show any signs that the thoughts were about her. They got good at hiding their feelings from her. Years of practice of being turned away and not looking like a loser, helped them to build that facade. They employed it even now, as they contemplated their past.

Sabine too wondered about them. She couldn't quite describe the anxious excitement that she was feeling. She'd never felt this way for them before. Sabine recalled how, back as cadets, they tried asking her out a couple of times, and how she had graciously declined. They were a nice kid, very friendly, but not quite her type. They tried being friends before too, but it never worked out. Their schedules just never matched up, and neither did their interests. They just seemed so different. At some point, even their daily interaction had faded, but she didn't think twice about it. She thought perhaps that it was because they were focused on different assignments.

But now...now it's so different. So different. She wondered if they still were interested in her. Her infatuation started to blind her, and she became determined that she would find out. Tonight.

They continued walking in silence, not realizing that they were both caught in thought.


	7. Chapter 7

Several drinks in and it was already dark out. The noise of the cantina was loud and lively. A live band was playing. Their music was upbeat, causing the crowd to be a little more complacent than normal. The dancers were putting on a show, and the patrons talked loudly among themselves.

The two Mandalorians were actually having a good time, reminiscing a bit about the past, but mostly were comparing their action packed missions. It came to surface that the Mandalorian had actually graduated from the Academy, unlike Sabine, and continued on to further their education in another Imperial institution, where they learned majority of their skills, advancing them from what Sabine used to know, much to the person they were today. They hinted how the transformation was a bit unpleasant (the training and demands were strict), but they didn't go into detail about it. As much as they were grateful for making them the soldier they are today, they disapproved some of their methods, some of which still haunted them today.

They went on to continue that once they had graduated from the senior academy, they were pulled in to become a spy for the Empire, completing missions and tasks all around the galaxy. And, being adept as they had become, the Empire had put a lot of faith into them, involving them in some top secret objectives. Eventually, they had come across some terrible realizations about what had come of their investigations. That was how they had met Ahsoka.

They explained further how their knowledge of highly coveted Imperial information had put them on a very high watch list. Thankfully, as they've reverted back to using their Mandalorian armor, their identity was masked, allowing them much more freedom to roam the galaxy, with still some restrains on places they deemed were too risky. Sabine nodded in understanding, remembering that their armor was prohibited from Imperial academies, as they were classified as improper Imperial attire, regardless that one of the academies was on Mandalore itself. 

The stories went back and forth between the two, with Sabine recounting some stories of her own and highlighting some details of her past, and her adventures with her Jedi members, the Sith, and even Vader himself.

"Hahaha, I don't think either one of us will win this debate at the rate we're going," the Mandalorian joked as they finished off one more beer.

"Guess not," she said, laughing back.

"I still argue that I've seen harsher fights than you though. I even have the scars to prove it," Sabine said as she pulled down the left collar of her body suit to reveal a darkish and jagged scar that was perhaps around 10 centimeters in length, and cut across the side of her neck.

Looking at the scar, the corner of their mouth raised to deliver a bit of a smile. They hadn't expected anything less. Remembering how relentless Sabine was...is, wouldn't have said otherwise. They'd expected her to have several "trophies" of her own at this age. However, they felt like the number paled in comparison to what they had, considering their past.

She let go of her collar and continued, "Probably have more of them than you," she said somewhat proudly, though she ignored the memories that came with some of the more traumatic ones.

"Oh? I beg to differ. I have scars that'd make you cringe," they retorted.

"Hey, I didn't say how ugly they may be. I said how many there'd be," she corrected.

"Well, I've lost track," they shrugged.

Finding as good as time as any, she started probing about their "personal life", while the waitress brought about another round of drinks.

"So, what's the story with your crew? You guys seem very close."

"Heh, those guys. Hard to live without them," they said as they gazed at the liquid that twirled inside the mug that they held. "Yea, we've seen some tough things in the past. Close to death sometimes. That kind of thing tends to bond people, you know? I'm sure you understand," they responded, looking up at Sabine.

Coming to terms with those exact scenarios, Sabine nodded, and they continued.

"We all met each other over time, recruiting as we went. We never actively sought new members, but it seems like they all came from a mission or two," a short laugh escaped from them, realizing that everyone really had originally joined due to some relation of one job or another.

"Guess you just have that effect on people," she said hinting at something more.

"Yea, well, I don't know about that really. But, I guess I've grown to have some appeal if even after joining, they continued to stay on for the ride," they laughed.

Sabine wanted to push a little further, opening up the conversation a bit more.

"Heh, suuure. Trying to use your charm. How's that working for you?" she said with a bit of a jab to their ego, clearly hinting at their past, and mostly in jest, not of malice, but they didn't pay much attention to it anyway.

"Charm...huh? I wouldn't say I have that effect really. I'm not one to chase like that."

Not sure what they were insinuating, she probed further.

"Oh?" she said skeptically.

At that, the Mandalorian eventually laughed at her insinuations, quickly picking up on all the hints she was dropping, including her tone. They finally revealed that they've lacked any sort of interest in romantic relationships. Their responsibilities had prevented them from doing so, and as they had succumbed to...extraneous training at the senior academy, those kinds of emotions weren't something they've had time to even humor, _especially_ with their crew. They were close comrades who'd risk their lives for one another, but that was it.

They looked at Sabine as they explained their lack of companionship, half expecting that she'd mock them in one way or another, considering how old they were, and that they were sure that she's had at least a few partners along the way. Much to their surprise, she hadn't said a word. Instead, she remained quiet, put at ease and satisfied with what she had come to find out. She leaned back and finished up her drink, and was about to order one more.

"Hey, I think we should start getting back," they suggested.

"Why? It's still early."

"Uh huh. Tell that to Hera when we get there. I'm honestly surprised she hadn't commed you yet."

Sabine laughed, ignoring that last bit. Little did they know, she had turned off her comm. She figured she was an adult and she wasn't alone. She didn't need to be badgered like a child.

"Seriously though," they said, waving off the drink attendant that had finally come over at Sabine's beckon and instead, asked her for the check.

"You sound seriously more scared of her than we do," she chuckled. "And we _live_ with her," she emphasized.

"Yea, well, she does have rank AND a reputation." 

The waitress returned, and the Mandalorian humbly paid the tab.

Sabine was a little intoxicated at this point. A little, according to her. Judging from the haze in her eyes, the tinge of pinkness in her cheeks and the nonchalant attitude she was giving, they realized that ending the night was a good call. Sabine however, quickly became a bit irritated at the idea of the night ending. Her company aside, she hadn't had a chance to really be out, enjoying the night away from the rest of the rebels, both on base or on the Ghost. Being stuck in the confines of the same people day in and day out, with the serious air constantly looming over them, all started to get to her. Being out and about, she almost felt...free, almost as if she got a taste of what life may had been like, if the Empire wasn't such a fuss and she wasn't fighting. Every. Single. Day.

"Alright S'bine, let's get going," they insisted, sliding out from the booth. 

Sabine refused, not saying a word and leaned back further where she sat, staring into the crowd, watching the dancers on stage. 

"Fine, I'm going to the fresher, and when I get back, we're outta here," they said in a more commanding, but friendly tone.

Unfortunately, when they had returned, they were surprised to find Sabine with another drink in her hand.

"Seriously? I thought we were done?"

" _You_ thought we were done. I didn't."

"Hera's gonna have your head. If anything, didn't she want those parts to finish up repairs on the Ghost? I'm really surprised she hadn't commed in yet," they said, sliding back into their seat at the table.

"You're really are a party pooper, you know," she said only somewhat joking. "Guess it makes sense, though. You were always a teacher's pet."

Startled by her remark, that last sentence rubbed them the wrong way. They hated being called that. They remembered being taunted by the other cadets. Relentlessly. Sabine never said it, at least that they knew of. Little did she know, it was something that they had always struggled with, back in the early days of the academy. The phrase started to drudge up feelings that were once buried deep. They immediately closed their eyes and took a breath, without much notice from Sabine, as she continued to eye the other patrons. They forced the insecurities back down and recomposed themself. 

"Words are just words", they thought to themself, but the Mandalorian's anxiety stemmed from something much more than words.

They opened their eyes and stared at Sabine with a bit of resentment for allowing them to briefly relive their uncomfortable past. They watched as the girl remained entertained by her surroundings. Who was she to talk, anyhow? She aced every task and test their instructors set before her. They stopped and took another breath, trying to convince themself that it was the past, and she's drunk. Returning back to the situation at hand, they continued to insist on their departure.

"Wren, I'm just being responsible. You're drunk."

Sabine turned her attention back to them.

"Am not. I'm still...," she paused briefly, swallowing down some air, "...still very much coherent."

"Riiiight," they said, rolling their eyes, then got the attention of the waitress once more.

"Miss, please close out the tab, and don't open another one, regardless of what _she_ says," they then pass her some credits, and she happily agreed.

"You're no fun," Sabine mumbled, very much irritated.

"Well, you know what's not gonna be fun in the next half hour? When I have to haul your drunk ass back to the Ghost and explain to Hera why I brought you back that way," they said annoyed at her lack of reason.

"Pssh. Teacher's pet."

"S'bine," they sighed, "just finish your damn drink."

Sabine ignored them and took the smallest sip from her glass, taunting them that she would take as long as she needed to, to finish it.

They didn't know why Sabine was acting so childish all of a sudden, but, to their credit, they've never been around Sabine when she was drunk before. Maybe this was how she always turned out. Regardless, it annoyed them. They no longer wanted to be in her company, reminding them of how they were taunted back at the Academy. Granted, she was never the one who said or did anything to them, but their patience was wearing thin around the whole topic.

They stood up, took her glass and dumped it on the floor. "There. You're done. Let's go." They got up and headed for the exit, not turning around once, regardless of how much Sabine was cursing them down.

They walked towards the shuttle, down the fairly lit pathway, with Sabine angrily stomping behind them, still yelling at them, mostly in Mando'a. They continued to ignore her, keying open the shuttle door and was about to sit in the pilot's seat, when they were forcibly grabbed from behind.

"You self-rightous piece of bantha crap! Did you hear me screaming at you?" she yelled at them some more then shoved them up against the side wall of the shuttle.

Trying to remain calm, they backed off the wall and tried to shove past her, and back into the pilot seat, shutting the shuttle door. Sabine grabbed them by the shoulder once more, and tossed them back, their head catching a corner, and knocking them down into one of the adjacent seats.

"The hell Sabine!" they yelled, touching their forehead to where they were now bleeding.

"Serves you right," she said, glaring back at them. "Where the hell do you get off telling me what to do, then dumping my drink like that!"

She grabbed at them and shoved the Mandalorian back up against the wall as they tried once more to pass and ignore her. This time, they had had it. With their back up against the wall, being pinned down the way they had done to Sabine days back, they tried to shove her away, but couldn't get any leverage. Furious, and without much option, they grabbed the hair behind her head, yanking it, as she yelled. Eventually, both started battling in the tight confines of the shuttle.

"Haar'chak Wren! Udesii!" they hollered.

From behind, they had grabbed Sabine, wrapped their arms around her, and tried to forcibly contain her from moving. They had hoped that she would expend whatever energy she had left (though they were surprised she had that much to begin with, considering) as she continued to fight them off. It didn't work though. She reacted by head-butting them, releasing their hold on her as they winced back in pain, grabbing at their face. They were sure she had broken their nose. Streams of blood came pouring out. Sabine took the opportunity to make sure she won the fight this time. Turning around, she rammed at them, causing them to both tumble to the floor. She then mounted them, and grabbed them by the collar. Their arms did the same, trying to leverage the girl off.

Using all their strength as they fought and twisted on the floor, they were finally able to catch Sabine, and force her off, taking the opportunity to pin her down the same way. They sat on top of her, grabbing at her wrists, and holding her down. Blood dripped down their face as they panted, trying to remain in control, using every ounce of strength they still had.

"Just....stop already!" they yelled to her.

Sabine struggled a bit, but faded off as she tried to catch her breath. Her energy was slowly fading and they felt it. She looked at the Mandalorian who had pinned her down, feeling overpowered by their strength. Once more, all of a sudden, her heart raced.

Sabine had stopped fighting then; stopped struggling and remained quiet, just looking at them. They let go of her hands, but remained on top of her, wiping their nose against the sleeve of their arm, staring at the girl to make sure she had somewhat calmed down. 

"You done?" they asked with an angered and annoyed tone.

Sabine didn't say anything. She grew anxious, as she tried to keep a hold on herself, but being under the influence, it forced out her feelings harder. Her anger had ceased, giving way to excitement and desire, which, escaped the notice of her companion. 

With Sabine no longer fighting, they just shook their head and started to get up, ready to finally get back to base. Then, out of the shadows of the dimly lit cabin, Sabine's arms flew up, suddenly grabbing their face and pulling them in for a hard and passionate kiss. Their eyes widened with shock for less than a second, before being captivated. They felt her warm breath against theirs, and her forceful, but soft lips meeting their own. It was all they needed to let go of their inhibitions and kiss her back, left caught in the wild frenzy that now ran through their body. They forced themself back on top of hers, with Sabine reacting in pleasure as they did so. She then pulled them down harder, even closer, with her arms wrapping around their neck, letting her fingers scrap at their skull, as both became lost in passion.

In that moment, they realized that their feelings for her hadn't fully died after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- "Haar'chak" - "Damn it"  
> \- "Udesii" - "Calm down"
> 
> On a side note, writing with a unspecified gendered character is toooough. I don't know how many times I've edited ths chapter, correcting singular pronouns, jumping from a male perspective to a female perspective. Lol, at least they didn't stay as either gender in my head as I wrote.
> 
> Sorry if I missed a few corrections. Truth be told, I may rewrite this story again at a later time.


	8. Chapter 8

They awoke to the sound of incessant beeping. Their comlink. Mumbling, rolled over to answered it.

"He....hello?" they said hoarsely.

"Oh good, you are alive," the voice said sarcastically. It was Ahsoka. She wasn't thrilled.

"Yea," they said, rubbing their eyes, but felt a throbbing pain across their face as they did so.

"Hera's throwing a fit, worried that something happened to you both. Is everything okay?" she asked in a calmer, more concerned tone.

"Uh...yea. We'll be back soon," they answered grogily.

"Good. You'll both have some explaining to do."

She ended the transmission, and they put down the comm. Their eyes were still adjusting and the pain around their face was intense. Combine that with a slight hangover, and they were aching for some pain killers.

"Mhmmm...who was that?"

They looked over to see Sabine, although, not really seeing her. A shroud of darkness enveloped her. It was long past nightfall, and the street lamps around their shuttle had dimmed. Her voice and the warmth of her skin were all they had to know that what happened, really did.

"Bine, it was Ahsoka. She's....she's really not happy. She said Hera isn't either. I think we're dead when we get back."

Sitting up, they just rolled their head from side-to-side, cracking and stretching it, as they had fallen asleep in the most cramped up position, not to mention all the "physical activity" prior to. Following suit, Sabine slowly rose from her position, sitting up behind them, and wrapped her arms around their body. Her face nestled into their neck.

"I think it was worth it though, don't you?" said said softly, kissing their nape.

A smile formed on their face as they held the arms around them. "Yea, definitely."

The two eventually.... _eventually_ got decent, and headed on their way. Sabine picked up anything that got strewn about from earlier, including all their supplies, while they piloted back.

"I still can't believe Hera never commed you directly," they said, their voice wavered back at the thought of what awaited them.

"Yea, about that..."

They looked over to Sabine, who finally came to sit down in the co-pilot's seat.

"I turned off my comm the minute we landed back there."

"You did what?" they said, more surprised than anything.

"I figured we'd be fine. Besides, I needed a break." She looked over to them, then placed her hand on their leg, while giving a mischievous smile.

"You gotta stop worrying. We're adults. We're allowed to have some fun from time to time," she said, now smiling genuinely at them.

They looked back and smiled in return.

"Force, we gotta clean you up before we land. Your bloodied up face is gonna tell'em something went wrong."

"Hah, yea, and whose fault is that?" they responded, as she went back to get something clean to wipe them off with.

* * *

They landed, gliding the Phantom in to dock with the Ghost. Both sat there quietly and still. Both were nervous.

"Um...you ready?" they asked her tentatively.

"Yea...," she said after some hesitation. "It's really late. I don't think they'll still be up."

"Heh, late. Yea, or early morning," they joked, earning a playful nudge from the girl.

All of a sudden, they both jumped at the loud pounding outside the door.

"Ah, kriff...," Sabine grumbled.

She took a deep breath, then straightened up as much as she could before opening the door, her eyes met two sets of stern, angered, and annoyed ones staring her down.

"Uh, hey...guys..."

"Nuh uh, don't give me that," one woman said in a condescending tone. "You...," she started, but couldn't quite get all the words out of her mouth. She was that riled up. "Sabine, you have a LOT of explaining to do," she continued, in the most commanding, yet...motherly manner that made anyone feel small.

"But Hera...," the girl pleaded.

"NO! I don't want to hear your excuses! Do you realize how worried I....we were?! After _everything_ we had done recently, and the fact that Thrawn is still looking to capture us, makes us worry about everyone's safety...all the time. What were you thinking?"

Sabine couldn't really look at Hera in the eye. When she was this mad, and if you had any inkling of being at fault, you couldn't. You just...couldn't. The woman's eyes pierced through you. Her entire body language seemed to exude a threatening aura. You just. Felt. Small.

The accompanying Mandalorian stood out of view, inside the shuttle. Listening to Sabine get lectured and scolded, they snickered somewhat, quietly grinnng at Sabine, and practically taunting her.

"Haha, S'bine. We're adults, eh? Where's that cocky attitude now?" they whispered and snickered.

Unfortunately, their actions weren't as discrete as they had assumed.

"Gar ru uhyih morut'yc ebin, euk solus," the Togruta said sternly.

"Ah, kriff...," they echoed under their breath.

They knew they were in trouble. Not only was she speaking in Mando'a, but she called them 'little one', the phrase she used to call them when she had first found them. It was originally a slap-in-the-face comment she had used to undermine their authority when they had originally met -- when they were an Imperial spy. Now, it was mostly used as a way to point out their immaturity or inexperience.

"Come out. Your friend Sabine isn't the only one who should be facing us," she ordered.

Sabine made her way out of the shuttle, allowing for the other Mandalorian to come out as well. As they stood on the platform, their head was staring so far down to the ground, that it seemed overly exaggerated, getting Ahsoka's attention.

"I'd hope that you'd recall that shying away isn't what I've taught you," she said, with her arms crossed, focused on the Mandalorian.

Giving in to her, they raised their head, revealing their bludgeoned face. It was partially swollen, dried blood had crusted over, and some of their face started turning black and blue. They tried to clean off as much blood as they could, but eventually both gave up, knowing that they could never hide it anyway.

"What in the universe happened to you?" she asked in a bit of shock.

"Being that the both of you stink like high heaven, my guess is that alcohol was involved," the Twi'lek said in observation of the two. 

The Mandalorian hadn't been berated this much in a very, very long time. They had expected it, but being victim to it, was something else. 

"Captain, with all due respect, we are of age. Drinking shouldn't be an issue," the Mandalorian said innocently.

Hera only responded with a death glare, which only made them wish they hadn't said anything at all.

Remembering the story that the two Mandalorians had come up with during their flight over, they had started to open their mouth to explain.

"Okay...," they started reluctantly. "So we _were_ at the cantina. We decided to have a drink before we came back....which turned into a few..."

Sobering up, Sabine knew this wasn't going to work. Maybe they could've fooled Kanan, or Ezra, or Zeb, or...anyone really, but these two, she realized, would know it was a lie the moment it left their mouth and they'd be in bigger poodoo than they were already.

"We fought," she said, interrupting the other in mid-sentence.

They turned to her direction, confused at the sudden change in plan. Sabine ran her hand down her face. She turned to Hera.

"We got drunk, it got late, we said some stuff, and we fought. Literally."

She watched as the woman's eyes glowered at her, then flickered over to her accomplice, then back to her. She then sighed and shook her head.

"She bought it," Sabine thought hopefully, then looked over to Ahsoka, who remained silent.

"Ahsoka...," she started to say, but was interrupted by the woman's hand slowly raising and silently instructing her to speak no more. 

The Togruta, looked at her Mandalorian and they just shrugged in defeat at her stare. She too, just shook her head in disappointment.

"Mandalorian youth...," she sighed.

Sabine grinned internally, knowing that she had won with her explanation. If anyone understood violence, Mandalorians, and arguments, it was her. The story was, technically believable, and for the most part..., just without some final details.

Ahsoka then added, "You both still have to face the consequences for the trouble you had caused this evening. I'll let Captain Syndulla here, decide your punishment," she said, nodding in other woman's direction.

"Thank you, Ahsoka. I have plenty in mind."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- "Gar ru uhyih morut'yc ebin, euk solus" - "You're not safe either, little one."


	9. Chapter 9

The following days had been interesting, to say the least. The two Mandalorians were faced with a number of unwanted chores and tasks, some of which had been on Hera's to-do list for quite some time, but never could get to. The Ghost crew, were really the only ones who knew what had happened, at least from the explanation that Hera understood. They, of all people had to be made aware, since, with the two constantly working on the ship from dawn until dusk for several rotations, word was bound to get out. The two Mandalorians, however, continued with their secretive and lustful acts.

No one had caught on, thankfully. They really didn't want to explain it to the others, and frankly, they thought it was none of their business. They had found breaks when they were both able to escape without notice, and places to...meet. However, prior to leaving for such an excursion, they always started with a heated argument, generally over something trivial, and never meant to be started on purpose. This part, however, caught on with the members of the Ghost crew, to the point where they honestly all believed that they both Mandos hated each other.

A week had quickly gone by, and both had been absolved of their punishment. Having served their time, it didn't stop their "relationship" from continuing as is. Kanan and Hera had almost had enough of it.

However, for the two involved, it was just a trigger point for the start of something more intense, something more provocative, which always led to some welcomed "recreational activity".

On one typical afternoon at Chopper base, Fenn Rau stood in the shade during what normally was a sunny and hot day. He took in the sights, not phased by the dry, remote and unlively location of the rebel stronghold. He was temporarily on leave from Mandalore, at the request of rebel commanding officials, to discuss some strategies against the Empire, that involved his planet. He stood waiting, when all of a sudden he heard the squabbling of the two Mandalorian youths.

He didn't pay much mind, and didn't really care to strain his ears to listen in on what the argument was about. Instead, he just watched them, for there was nothing else to entertain his attention while he waited patiently. It wasn't until one haphazardly shoved the other to the ground, that he smirked slightly at the sight.

In a moment, the two started attacking each other combatively. No longer did you hear the voices of either, screaming at one another, instead, you just heard the grunts, thuds, and dulling sounds of blows on each other. Rau's smirk grew even larger, remembering the fondness of being a Mandalorian youth.

This wasn't the first time he had witnessed their behavior. In the course of the two days that he was there, he saw it happen time and time again, as did the majority of Chopper base. It was no surprise then, that on Rau's last day, as he was hunched over the holodisplay, carefully studying some plans, that he heard the two start to argue, which quickly escalated into a primal shoving match. Before the two could do any further damage, Kanan's voice yelled over to them.

"Hey! You two! Knock it off!"

The two stopped temporarily, but at this point, they had been somewhat conditioned. Fires burned inside them. Anger, desire, and passion fuelled their spirits. It was no less than a moment, before the physical attacks continued. What was also not surprising was the fact that only Hera and Ahsoka could honestly separate the two.

Commando Sato had had enough of this as well. It was one thing to cause a disturbance somewhere on base, but it was another to start it in the command center.

"Throw them in the brig for a few hours. That should cool them down," he ordered.

With Hera grabbing hold of Sabine, and Ahsoka, doing nothing but slapping her Mandalorian "child" behind the head, the situation started to calm down, but after hearing the commander's orders, they briefly looked at each other, then glanced away. Rau was the only one who caught their elusive smirks to each other.

A few of the guards came by and took the two troublemakers away.

"I'm sorry, Commander. I honestly don't know what to do with them," Hera said with almost defeat in her voice.

The Commander just shook his head slowly, acknowledging Hera's tone of desperation, while his silent actions also told her that he did not have time to deal with these types of problems.

Kanan spotted Rau and joined him at the holodisplay.

"I'm partially envious of your leave today. Those two are starting to drive me mad with their incessant arguing and fighting," the Jedi complained.

Rau just smirked.

"Yea, I bet you think that's funny, knowing that we'll get to hear this over and over again for force knows how long. Stars, what I wouldn't give for a mission, for a chance to separate those two."

Just then, Hera and Ahsoka joined the two men.

"Rau, do you have everything you need?" Ahsoka asked.

"I do."

The man answered with a neutral expression, cracking an all-knowing smile at the three. "Good luck with those two," he said, failing to contain his amusement.

"Rau," Ahsoka called out inquisitively.

"Ahsoka," he responded with a hint of playfulness as he sneered. 

Neither said a word after that, but the Mandalorian knew what she was asking about.

"Ahsoka, you, of all people here, should know about 'Lover's Quarrel'."

Hera's and Kanan's mouth nearly dropped in surprise. Ahsoka on the other hand, closed her eyes and lifted her hand to her brow, as those words lit in her head. She only responded with an exasperated, "Of course."

"If you want further proof, examine their injuries much closer in detail next time. From what I've observed, Sabine has clearly taken on the more...dominant role, while the other..."

"Ho ho ho hold it right there. Don't go any further. Please," Kanan said, waving his hands at his face to stop. 

Kanan was not ready for this type of news, nor was he ever ready to hear of Sabine's...preferences.

Rau continued to smile in amusement before continuing. "Take a look at how the other carries considerable facial wounds. Sabine, on the other hand, has none. Quite odd for a typical brawl, don't you think?" he finished, raising his brow.

The three stood in silence. Content with providing his audience a shocking revelation, he saluted them, then turned towards his ship, carrying his grin with him.

"He...he really just said, 'Lover's Quarrel,' didn't he?" Kanan questioned loudly, understanding full well what that implied, based on the words alone.

The Togruta answered with a nod.

"Force. So that's why...," Hera mumbled in a bit of disappointment in herself for not realizing sooner.

With no one else really vocalizing the gravity of what they had just been told, Kanan spoke up again.

"So...this means that they're fighting, just because they're in a relationship?" He looked to Ahsoka for affirmation. Her days spent with the clones and the Mandalorian culture made her all too familiar with many of their behaviors and rituals.

"Yes, Kanan, but not just. On Mandalore...," she started, before trying to place her words correctly. "In their culture, sometimes violence begets affection."

Kanan remained silent, taking in her words, analyzing what she had said and what Rau had observed, until a flash jolted his mind to what she had alluded to. His face cringed a tad, not really wanting to think about _them_ , especially Sabine, like _that_.

Hera, relieved to have finally gotten to the bottom of this problem, stood slightly amused at Kanan's reaction.

"Love, they are adults you know."

"Hera. Don't," he said, still having a difficult time absorbing the information.

The two women then continued to laugh at the Jedi's expense.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fin.
> 
> Well...that was an interesting story to tell.
> 
> Hope you liked it! Feedback welcomed :)


End file.
